"Jan Christoph Nordholz" <hesso@pool.math.tu-berlin.de> wrote in message [🔎] 20080504171443.GA17220@pool.math.tu-berlin.de">news:[🔎] 20080504171443.GA17220@pool.math.tu-berlin.de...
Ok, just what I thought - but would it be different if I converted the package to download those files during postinst, similar to flash- plugin? Does that README's "free for personal use" apply at all, so I could make automatic downloading possible? Is the archive granting rights without the authors' consent here? Or does such downloading fall under "fair use"?
The IF-archive has always existed for the express purpose of publishing author's Interactive fiction works, tools, and in some cases code. The very act of uploading a file fairly explicltly implies consent for personal use.
I'm not sure about automatically downloading the files, but providing a script that downloads and installs the files is definately fine, as that is a mere automation of something that is permisible.
Anyway, what files in particular are included in the Inform package that are thought to be problematic and who are the authors of those files? Many of the more prominent authors are still easy enough to reach on RAIF.